FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State track & field team will split meets for the outdoor season opener beginning Thursday. The majority of the team will be headed to the Jerry Quiller Classic at Potts Field in Boulder, while the multi-event athletes will travel to Northern Colorado for the Big Bear Multi Events.

The Rams are ready to embark on another successful outdoor season, after last year saw 14 all-conference recipients, the most since 2008. CSU returns 11 of those 14 athletes, and three of their four MW champions. Many of the team’s freshmen are also looking to impress, as they did during the indoor season.

Competition at the Big Bear meet begins with the first event of the heptathlon Thursday at 1 p.m. MT at Nottingham Field. The men’s decathlon will follow at 1:15. Competition will resume Friday at 10 a.m. Admission to the meet in Greeley is free.

The Jerry Quiller Classic, named for former CSU head track coach Jerry Quiller, will begin with the hammer and javelin throws at 3 p.m., Friday, while the men’s 10,000 meters will start at 6 p.m. that evening. Saturday will see the most action, with events beginning at 11 a.m.

Quiller was well-respected coach all along the Front Range. He passed away two years ago, losing a battle to multiple myeloma at the age of 69.

The Fort Collins native started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at CSU and became an assistant with Colorado in 1970, holding that position for four years. In 1974 Quiller took over the reins as a head coach at Wayne (Mich.) State. After two seasons he came back to CSU (1976-80) before heading to Idaho State (1980-85). Quiller then took over the program at CU in 1985. In 1995 he landed his final coaching post at Army (1995-2008).

The team was originally scheduled to go the Tom Benich Classic at Northern Colorado, but the meet was cancelled early this week.